Wow. I just...wow.



This was tough. Really tough to read. I like dark, gritty, post apocalyptic stuff. I don't mind non-con and dub-con either. The book was amazingly well written. But...

I was on board until the book hit "Book Two" and then Ciaran became a totally non-sympathetic character for me.

And I wondered, while I was reading, has my heart turned black? Because I just don't give two-shits about this piss ant, spoiled, selfish, ignorant brat? Yeah. Pretty sure I wasn't supposed to feel that way about him.



So once Darragh finally catches up with the jackass after he has run off things are okay again but by that point I was completely over Ciaran and never got back to the point of caring what happened to him.



He simply seemed to duplicitous to me and I'm not a fan of that.

*sigh*

Everything from after the *crazy eyes* king find them again was better again. And I think that if things had continued along in that vein for a little while Ciaran would have redeemed himself for me but sadly, it ended soon after.

Combine Ciaran being an a-hole with everything else being overwhelmingly dark it wasn't what I'd call an enjoyable read. However it was still good. It was well written, the back story and the world was amazingly well crafted, the characters were strong and vibrant. But because I finished the book having felt like I was hit upside the head with a brick, wrapped in metal chains and dipped in Hydrochloric acid I can't rate it highly.

Hi everyone!

The King of Dublin blog tour kicks off on the 24th. Follow me and Heidi around, leave a comment somewhere, and you could win one of each of our backlist titles, and also an Irish-related thingummy. I can't be more specific, as I haven't seen the thungummy. But I'm sure it's very nice. 

Holy crap, this was dark. Violent. Terrifying in parts, making me clench my fists in anger in others. Trigger warning: There is violent rape, on page and off. There is a sadistic bastard, a madman who could be liked to Nero and Caligula of Ancient Rome. 

 

But there is also love, budding, slowly unfolding, as Darragh and Ciaran try their best to survive in a cruel, violent world ravaged by a pandemic and the ensuing chaos in the aftermath. 

 

This is one of the darkest, most disturbing books I've read in a while. It's a nailbiter, no doubt about it. And it makes you grind your teeth while it explores the minds and actions of men who fear, men who fight for power and men who rise above the crud and crap to find inside themselves that which is good and kind. It sends a message that despite a despotic madman ruling the place, there is still good in the world, and that fear, while a powerful motivator, does not earn you loyalty in return. 

 

The writing is what made this such an enjoyable experience, despite the dark and bleak themes. While the setting is post-apocalypse, after a pandemic has wiped out much of society and the rules we live by, it still felt like something that could happen. And against this terrifying backdrop, the authors created richly explored characters, flawed, scared, fearing for their lives, yet also persevering and moving forward as best they can. 

A book with Irish characters? Wohoo! </b?